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Google Chrome Is Getting Automatic Blocking of Malicious Downloads
An anonymous reader writes "Google today announced Chrome is getting an automatic download blocking feature for malware. Google has already added the new functionality to the latest build of Chrome Canary. All versions of Chrome will soon automatically block downloads and let you know in a message at the bottom of your screen. You will be able to "Dismiss" the message, although it's not clear if you will be able to stop or revert the block."
I shouldn't have to install IE if I want to set up a little virtual ecosystem.
Yet they wont let me disable the god forsaken auto complete in the address bar. I completely ditched Chrome because of that damned evil annoyance.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Not really a drive-by, more a bundle. But you get that kinda crap bundled with lots of free stuff.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Chrome already blocks malicious downloads. Not sure how this is new. Maybe it's a more advanced version of the existing feature.
The existing feature already looks like the current screenshot, except the text might be different. And yes, you can allow downloads using the drop down on the right.
Possibly this is integration of anti-virus hooks? I think the existing version might just use a Google list of known safe and dangerous downloads.
Now, can you let me choose for myself which filetypes are safe or not? For my job, I have to download many PDFs (up to 100 at a time) and Chrome asks me EVERY... SINGLE... FUCKING... TIME "This type of file can harm your computer. Do you want to keep <filename> anyway?"
LISTEN IDIOT: These PDFs come from a trusted source. Yes, I have to download them. No, I don't want to view them in the browser right this second. Also, I'm on a Mac, and also also, I don't use Acrobat, and also also also, this is my work machine, and IF anything would happen to it, I'd let I.T. blow it away and re-image it if needed. LET ME DOWNLOAD THE GODDAMN FILE. Every few months I search to see if there's a way to disable this, and so far I've come up empty.
Needless to say, I don't use Chrome for this part of my job.
Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
...software contrary to corporate (RIAA/BSA) interests?
Microsoft has tried something similar. Each distinct executable has to build up a reputation over some long period before IE SmartScreen stops flagging it as "not commonly downloaded". The only way to make an executable build up reputation faster is to apply for an Authenticode software publisher certificate from a commercial CA ($$$) and keep it renewed ($$$ per year), which lets good reputation spill over from other executables from the same publisher that have earned good reputation. This especially messes with the release early, release often mentality of amateur free software developers who might not be willing to form an LLC and buy and maintain an Authenticode certificate.
This.
Anyway, I'm way less worried about some lame malware developer's effect on society than Google's.
it would be nice if there was a Windows program to install programs from a centralized repository of software that was actually scrutinized to ensure it's malware free and perhaps a security risk rating. It certainly would make open source programs more attractive because they could quickly be certified as being malware free. the rest wouldn't be able to be certified as being 100% malware free since there cant be a true analysis of the software without REing the whole thing unless they submit the source but keep it secret.
every program having it's own updater running is annoying, uses more resources and introduces another security risk.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
Apparently so, since any comments pointing out how prone this will be to abuse, and the nature of the abuse, are being aggressively down-modded.
You mean it might stop offering to install Flash for me?
That would be nice.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
On MacOS there's a setting, "Allow Apps Downloaded from", under the security and privacy section of the control panel that controls this behavior. If I have that set to download from anywhere, it should download from anywhere.
Chrome usage has been falling by approx 0.25% market share per month for the last year or so. It's like they're just trying to accelerate it now. Plus, I'm 99% sure this is an exact clone of a feature included with IE7. The IE10 version is even more popular with it's 5 or so clicks to finally get to the "I don't give a fuck if you haven't heard of this download, it's from fucking Sourceforge, don't delete it and let me run the damn thing. Yes I know it's a fucking MSI file" button. REAL popular feature.
Especially because reputation spillover could have been implemented just as easily with the key continuity management (KCM) paradigm. In KCM, each software publisher acts as its own CA and self-signs its own code signing certificate. This way a developer can prove that he's the same developer as last time without having to prove the developer's real world identity. Android code signing uses KCM, as does SSH. OS X used to before 10.8 when Apple introduced GateKeeper with default settings to block running code from unidentified developers.
Then why does Chrome for Android display a scare bar for PDF downloads even on a platform to which Adobe Reader isn't even ported?
Stupidity is here to stay choice is not.
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
If this feature is implemented as a cloud service, i.e. each URL will be checked by Google before the browser is executing it then say good-bye privacy. It would be the last thing that you would like to have: a browser that spies on you.
If this feature is implemented with a signature file that is updated from time to time, then it is the same snake-oil as each anti-virus and is probably not harmful. It might even be useful for those people who also have use for anti-virus software.
Chrome asks me EVERY... SINGLE... FUCKING... TIME "This type of file can harm your computer. Do you want to keep anyway?"
seems like this is a common and unnecessary annoyance for non-Windows people.
this will remove the down warning for all file types.
1) open preference file /Users/yourusername/Library/Preferences/com.google.Chrome.plist
-- OS X:
-- Linux: ~/.config/chromium/Default/Preferences
-- Windows: GFY, you need this warning.
2) replace the "download" section with this
"download": {
"directory_upgrade": true,
"prompt_for_download": false
},
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
Yeah, Sure, Blocking malicious downloads has the potential for bad, but it also has the potential for good. You get hit with Cryptolocker and not have any good backups then tell me how much you hate a feature like this. I have already seen it too many times, companies that loose data because of that virus and the sysadmins that are too proud to pay the ransom. Or even worse, the employees who get hit with it then doesn't say anything until after the timer runs out. People might hate on features like this, but at the business level it can be a life saver.
Yeah, because there's no possible way anyone could ever hack the Google update servers and have exploit code silently installed on most Chrome users' machines within...oh, a relatively short amount of time.
Is the automatic updater as much fun as the Firefox extension updater, where they reset the "auto-update all the time" preference to 'yes' every time you update the main program?
Unity? Screw that: XFCE. Slashdot Beta? Screw that: SoylentNews. Australis? Screw that: Pale Moon. UX developers DIAF
Malicious, but malicious to WHOM? If they ever start blocking useful tools which "could" be used to break laws or otherwise do harm, that will be the end of Chrome.
You see? You see? Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!
The really cool part is it blocks poisonous viral meme downloads, too, so you only see a black screen when you go to Huffington Post*.
*Substitute Drudge Report for humor effect if you are already infected with the Huffington meme defense mechanism.
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
Yes, that's the intention, and software always works as intended, so we have nothing to worry about. Automatically installing software from whatever server that googleupdate.exe thinks is the mothership has no potential security problems of any kind.
Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
Depends on perspective.
If Google did its job right, an attacker would need to hack not only the update distribution servers but also Google's code signing server. Machines for signing important code are supposed to be kept disconnected from the Internet for just this reason.
If a lot of people install a program, and nobody reports it to Microsoft as malware, then yes, Internet Explorer stops warning people about it.
OMG if one more fucking site does that, I'm gonna burn down the entire internet, lol. First download.com started it and now softpedia and like 6 more I know of did it. Everyone gave them all a big "fuck you, I'm going to filehippo" but even if 90% of their users leave, ad revenue vs crapware revenue is a pretty big difference. They're still probably making a profit. Either the US government or antivirus companies need to grow some balls and start taking down these American companies that are using their websites as a launching platform for malware. Yes, it has an opt-in and an uninstaller so it's not illegal but so what? It's dishonest and should be illegal.
This is why we need a (+1, Snarky) moderation option.
"When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes